The broadband economy: A square deal all around

By Orjiakor N. Isiogu – “We demand that big business give the people a square deal,” President Theodore Roosevelt said. “In return we must insist that when anyone engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right, he shall himself be given a square deal.”

In the 15 years after President Clinton signed the Telecom Act of 1996, broadbandInternet providers invested $1.2 trillion in wireline and wireless high-speed networks, including $250 billion in the past four years alone. The high-speed Information Superhighway touches 95 percent of the U.S., and most consumers can choose from among six or more wireless or wireline providers (90 percent can choose from at least two).
80 percent of U.S. homes now have access to download speeds of 100 megabits per second, and 4G wireless service will soon be available nationwide, with speeds of up to 20 megabits per second. While some challenges remain – such as getting broadband to remote rural areas, a market condition well-suited to government intervention – on the whole the broadband positives far outweigh the negatives by any reasonable standard. more> http://tinyurl.com/bytgbql